


Teddy Bear

by everywintersbreath



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Costumes, First Dates, M/M, and jihoon is like wow1!, jun works as one of those people in bear costumes, mostly regular pov, theres some texting, who like hand out flyers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 17:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15779160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everywintersbreath/pseuds/everywintersbreath
Summary: The bear costume is simultaneously the luckiest and most uncomfortable thing Junhui's ever worn.





	Teddy Bear

**Author's Note:**

> can i write junhoon where candy is not mentioned? will i ever find out?  
> p.s. sorry for the formatting on the text part

It’s hot, as usual.

Junhui’s burning up inside his suit, the lining of the costume damp with sweat. It sticks to his skin, uncomfortable in every way possible. He feels like he’s suffocating, the air warm and wet as it clogs up his throat. At the very least, he can take respite in the fact that the stench from inside won’t carry outwards.

Despite the physical discomfort, Junhui likes this job. It pays decently for such low-effort work, enough for him to contribute to rent on his tiny apartment. Plus, the smiles on the children’s faces when they grab at his legs and pose for pictures are priceless (and the looks on the parents’ faces when he hands them his flyers afterward even more so).

There’s something even better than the kids, though. Even better than the money, and even better than the cold smoothie that his manager will sometimes buy him after a shift. It’s the short man who stops by every single day, still in his work clothes, awkwardly sidling up and slipping something into Junhui’s clumsy paws before darting off like Junhui will forget him if he goes fast enough.

It’s usually a treat of some sort, sometimes as simple as a lollipop or piece of taffy. Junhui has to quickly slip them into the fold of his costume that doubles as a makeshift pocket, forbidden from calling after him in his costume. He can’t break character after all, no matter how much he’d like to. That would ruin the experience for the kids.

So he stands there, silent, waiting for his opportunity. The man doesn’t seem to want to be seen with him. Maybe he’s one of the hyper-masculine types who think they become less manly if they stand next to something cute. Junhui knows a few of those. The man seems sweet though, so he suspects it's more of an issue with shyness. 

After two weeks of it, he decides to try an experiment. 

When the man comes, the same time as every other day, Junhui presses the sticky note he’s held all day into his palms in exchange for the man’s lollipop. The man stares down at it for a second, startled, before remembering where he is and scampering off. Junhui watches him go somewhat mournfully.

It’s not until he takes off the suit in the break room that he sees the notification on his phone.

Unknown Number : Hello ?  
Junhui’s Iphone : hi! i’m the guy inside the bear costume!! i hope i didn’t make u uncomfortable by giving u my number but i wanted to say thanks for all the stuff (´-﹏-`；)  
Junhui’s Iphone : ps ur beautiful hhdbnhbhabhbd  
Unknown Number : Oh, um, you’re welcome and thanks? I’m not weirded out btw. Sorry for always dashing off.  
Junhui’s Iphone : no problemo!! u got stuff to do! but tbh i kind of wanted 2 get 2 know u  
Junhui’s Iphone : do u mind if i ask u ur name??  
Unknown Number : It’s Jihoon. Yours?  
Junhui’s Iphone : Junhui!! nice to meet u (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)ﻭ  
Jihoon : You too, I suppose. I’ve never met you out of your costume though.  
Junhui’s Iphone : omg, do u want to meet? that’d be so fun, we could like, get coffee or smthn. whatever u like!!  
Jihoon : You’ve used more exclamation points in this conversation than I have in my entire life.  
Jihoon : But yeah, why not? I like coffee.  
Junhui’s Iphone : OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
Junhui’s Iphone : ok ok ok ill take u to this place sort of by where i work it’s really nice you’ll love it !

-

 

Junhui wears a shirt with the character that he dresses up as at work on it, partially out of a concern that Jihoon won’t know who he is (despite the fact that he’ll wave at him like a lunatic as soon as he sees him). He had received the shirt from his manager at the start of the job, and to be fair it’s kind of cute. He sees the appeal. 

He’s been texting Jihoon often in anticipation of their “date”. Jihoon’s told him that he despises cute things but it seems like a lie to Junhui, especially when he sees the way the smaller man’s face lights up at the sight of his shirt when he comes in to sit down. “Hi!” Junhui calls, gesturing wildly.

Jihoon flushes, motioning at him to hush with faux anger and sliding into the booth across from him. “Hey,” he grumbles after a second, fiddling with his sweatshirt. Junhui beams, leaning forwards onto the table earnestly. “It’s great to meet you for real! I seriously have to thank you for all the candy! You’ve saved me from so many sugar crashes.”

“I’ve enabled your sugar addiction,” Jihoon murmurs, sending a sidelong glance at the packets of sugar Junhui’s pulled from the basket to lay out before him. Junhui pouts for half a second before springing back up. “Oh, yeah. I didn’t know what to order you, so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Jihoon says, getting up to go walk to the counter. “I prefer it this way anyway.”

Junhui swallows, watching him leave. He’s oddly nervous, his flustered state making him even more awkward than he is normally. By the time Jihoon returns with his drink, Junhui’s tried to compose himself enough to not embarrass himself. Jihoon slides into the booth across from him, foot knocking into Junhui’s. 

There goes his composure.

Apart from the sudden red flush of his ears, Jihoon doesn’t react, sipping his coffee. “This is good,” he comments. “I see why you like this shop.”

“UH, YEAH,” Junhui says way too loudly, cringing at himself when Jihoon blinks at him over his coffee. What’s wrong with him? He’s acting like a fourteen-year-old with a crush. “I mean, yeah, it is. I like it.”

Jihoon grunts, hiding his eyes behind the rim of his coffee mug. There’s an awkward silence which Junhui attempts to fill by drumming his fingers on the table. “Hey, Jihoon,” he finally begins, an attempt to make some sort of conversation. “Why’d you keep coming to see me in the costume anyway?”

“I like the character,” Jihoon says slowly. “And I figured you were probably pretty uncomfortable. I know it’s stupid, but I kind of thought I might be able to make it better.”

Junhui grins at him, wide and toothy, his full smile. “That’s really sweet, Jihoonie!”

This time, Jihoon’s whole face goes red. He coughs a little, turning his face away for a second. Junhui blinks at him, confused, waiting until he turns back around. “Are you okay?”

Jihoon nods rapidly. “Yeah, yeah. Just didn’t expect you to be so,” he gestures. Junhui’s brow furrows in confusion. “What?”

Cutely frustrated, Jihoon sighs. “Cool, I guess? I don’t know the right word, but you look like someone from a magazine. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.” Junhui blinks. “I think you look like someone from a magazine too,” he says, smiling.

Jihoon goes even redder, hands coming down on the table lightly. “I just, I don’t want to be embarrassed. What is this? Is this a date? Is this your way of making friends?”

“Well,” Junhui starts shyly. “I’d like it to be a date?”

Jihoon looks back at him, relaxing visibly. “Me too. Glad we got that sorted.”

Junhui laughs, a full sound, throwing his head back.

**Author's Note:**

> i had to look through an emoticons page to write the text part  
> tag urself i think im this one (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`) or maybe this one இдஇ  
> anyways, thank u for reading! <3  
> feedback is appreciated  
> i might add more chapters to this but ill leave it marked as chapterless for now


End file.
